Thrift shopping is not an art for the faint-hearted. Digging through piles of trash to find buried treasure (ahem, I mean sweaters) takes a certain amount of determination, but that is also part of the fun! Vintage shopping in New York City is especially great. So many fashionable people have gotten rid of their clothes here, that we always seem to have an overabundance of options to bring to the fitting room. Beyond this you can find great designer pieces for a fraction of their original price! Read on to see our top picks for thrifting in the city.

Roundabout tends to be on the pricier side, but for good reason. The store is packed with the highest-end labels of immaculate quality. A once-a-thousand-dollar pair of shoes can still run you $300 (of course they are Manolo Blahniks or Christian Louboutin). That being said, don’t skip the downstairs room of this two-story Soho paradise. The basement level has more casual and modern labels, think Hugo Boss, Alexander Wang, Free People, or Kenzo. On either floor there are amazing pieces to be found. A lot of the stock is more modern, and what you truly get when you come here are high-end marked down goodies that really make a statement in your wardrobe!

Screaming Mimi’s is a Manhattan vintage staple. Since the 1970’s it has been renowned with fashionistas and fashion designers alike as a great source of wardrobe inspiration. Be prepared to a do a little digging, and maybe to go to the tailor. Screaming Mimi’s private penthouse is home to some of the rarest vintage pieces out there! From mid-century pieces and into the 90’s, Screaming Mimi’s is a blast from the past definitely worth checking out.

382 Lafayette St (between Great Jones and East 4th St) New York, New York 10003

With two locations in Brooklyn and two in Manhattan, it’s worth your while to head to the one nearest you ASAP. Buffalo exchange has stores in 17 states, so if you have heard of them before it’s no surprise. They buy and sell modern, fashionable and extremely affordable pieces. It’s almost impossible to leave one of these places empty handed. Your guy friends will love it too, as they have both men’s and women’s sections.

This teeny thrift shop tucked away off of the N in Astoria is really a hidden gem. A true vintage hole in the wall, owned and operated by a woman who will be honest about whether something is working for you or not. Every item in this place has been lovingly picked by the owner, and is significantly less pricey than it would be on the other side of the East River. You never know what you will find here, but it has supplied me with some of my favorite pieces!